List of Angiosperms

Whether you’re curating a small garden or getting to know the plants along a local trail, a compact, organized list makes spotting and comparing species easier. This collection focuses on commonly encountered flowering plants across a range of habitats and uses.

There are 40 Angiosperms, ranging from Aloe vera to Willow. For each entry you’ll find the Scientific name, Family, Native range — details you’ll find below.

How can I use the Scientific name, Family and Native range to identify a plant near me?

Start with the Scientific name to avoid local name confusion, then check the Family for similar traits (leaf shape, flower structure). Native range helps narrow possibilities by showing which species are naturally found in your region; combine that with photos or a plant ID app for confirmation.

Are these species appropriate for planting or ecological projects in my area?

Use the Native range column first: prefer local species for restoration and habitat work, and check for invasiveness or planting restrictions before cultivation. For gardens, match species to your soil and light conditions and consult local extension services or nurseries for sourcing and best practices.

Angiosperms

Images and Descriptions

Rose

Compact ornamental shrub and ancestor of many garden roses. Grows in temperate gardens, recognized by thorny stems, pinnate leaves and fragrant layered blooms in many colors. Widely cultivated for cut flowers, perfumery and symbolism across cultures.

Sunflower

Tall annual with large composite flower heads and distinctive dark central disk. Grows in open fields and gardens, leaves are rough and hairy; seeds provide oil and snacks, and plants track the sun in youth (heliotropism).

English Oak

Long-lived deciduous tree of parks and woodlands, with lobed leaves and sturdy acorns. Grows across temperate Europe; strong timber and keystone habitat for hundreds of insect and bird species, culturally important in folklore and forestry.

Sugar Maple

Shade-producing tree noted for palmate leaves that turn vibrant fall colors and sugary sap used to make maple syrup. Prefers cool, moist forests; identifiable by paired samaras and opposite leaf arrangement, economically important for timber and syrup production.

Wheat

Staple cereal grass with dense seed heads (ears) cultivated worldwide. Grows in fields; recognized by jointed stems and rows of grains on spikelets. Central to bread, pasta and global food systems, many varieties bred for climate and baking traits.

Rice

Warm-season grass grown in flooded paddies or upland fields; narrow leaves and panicles of small grains. Staple for billions, important in Asian cuisines and wetland ecology; many cultivated varieties adapted to diverse water and temperature conditions.

Maize (Corn)

Tall annual grass with broad leaves and conspicuous ears of kernels; staple crop domesticated in Mesoamerica. Grows in warm fields worldwide; kernels used for food, feed and industry, with many colorful varieties and significant cultural importance.

Tomato

Popular fruiting plant grown worldwide for juicy red fruits; low shrubs or vines with pinnate leaves and yellow star-shaped flowers. Grows in gardens and fields; key culinary ingredient, many heirloom varieties differ in size, color and flavor.

Potato

Tuberous crop with underground starchy tubers, grown from seed potatoes or tubers. Plants have compound leaves and clusters of white to purple flowers; vital food source worldwide, adaptable to diverse climates and central to many cuisines.

Apple

Deciduous tree producing crisp pomes (apples). Grows in temperate orchards; simple ovate leaves and white-pink spring blossoms. Cultivated for fresh fruit, cider and cooking, thousands of cultivars bred for flavor, storage and pollination traits.

Banana

Tropical perennial producing elongated sweet fruit in hanging bunches; large paddle-shaped leaves and pseudostem. Grows in plantations and gardens in warm regions; major global staple and cash crop, many seedless cultivars propagated vegetatively.

Orchid (Moth Orchid)

Popular houseplant with wide, showy, long-lasting flowers on arching spikes; thick leathery leaves and aerial roots. Grows epiphytically in humid forests; prized in horticulture for diverse colors and forms, often grown indoors by hobbyists.

Lavender

Fragrant evergreen shrub with narrow gray-green leaves and spikes of purple flowers. Grows in well-drained sunny sites; used for scented oils, sachets and ornamental borders, attracts pollinators and tolerates drought once established.

Eucalyptus

Tall evergreen with aromatic leaves and smooth bark that peels in strips; clusters of white flowers and woody gumnuts. Dominant in Australian forests; used for timber, oil and reforestation, some species invasive outside native range.

Olive

Small evergreen tree with silvery lanceolate leaves and small white fragrant flowers. Grows in Mediterranean climates; produces edible oil-rich drupes (olives) central to cuisine and culture, cultivated for millennia on terraces and groves.

Coffee

Shade-tolerant shrub or small tree with glossy opposite leaves and clusters of fragrant white flowers; red cherries contain beans. Grows in tropical highlands; globally important beverage crop supporting livelihoods and diverse agroforestry systems.

Cocoa

Small tree of humid tropical forests producing pods filled with bitter seeds; white flowers on trunk and branches (cauliflory). Grows under canopy shade; fermented seeds become chocolate, vital in tropical economies and threatened by disease and deforestation.

Pineapple

Tropical bromeliad producing a compact multiple fruit (the pineapple) atop a central stalk; rosette of spiny leaves and a terminal crown. Grows in warm, well-drained soils; economically important for fresh and canned fruit markets.

Soybean

Annual legume with pinnate leaves and papilionaceous flowers, forming pods of edible beans. Grows in temperate to subtropical fields; crucial source of protein and oil, used for tofu, animal feed and industrial products, major global commodity.

Grape Vine

Woody climbing vine with tendrils, lobed leaves and clusters of berries (grapes). Grows in vineyards and wild scrub; grapes used fresh, dried or fermented into wine, central to agriculture, culture and landscape of Mediterranean regions.

Blueberry

Deciduous shrub with oval leaves and bell-shaped white to pink flowers; produces blue edible berries. Grows in acidic, moist soils in forests and cultivated bogs; valued for antioxidants and fruit markets, several cultivated highbush varieties exist.

Rhododendron

Evergreen shrub with leathery leaves and large clusters of funnel-shaped flowers, often pink or purple. Grows in acidic woodland and gardens; valued for showy blooms but invasive in some regions, important for ornamental horticulture.

Bamboo

Fast-growing woody grass with hollow cane-like stems (culms) and lanceolate leaves. Grows in clumps or groves in subtropical to tropical regions; used for construction, crafts, food shoots and as a fast renewable resource in landscaping.

Beech

Large deciduous tree with smooth gray bark, simple alternate leaves and triangular nuts in spiny husks. Grows in temperate woodlands; forms dense canopies and valuable timber, characteristic of classic European beech forests and managed estates.

Magnolia

Evergreen tree with large, fragrant, creamy-white bowl-shaped flowers and glossy leathery leaves. Grows in warm temperate to subtropical gardens and woodlands; ancient lineage often noted for showy blooms and horticultural importance in ornamental landscapes.

Water Lily

Floating aquatic plant with round floating leaves and large fragrant white flowers that open on the water surface. Grows in ponds and slow-moving water; provides habitat, aesthetic value and cultural symbolism in art and religion.

Willow

Fast-growing riparian tree with narrow lanceolate leaves and flexible branches; catkins appear in spring before leaves. Grows along rivers and wet soils; used for basketry, erosion control, and historically for willow bark pain relief (salicylic compounds).

Poplar

Quick-growing tree with triangular to rounded leaves that tremble on flattened petioles. Grows in disturbed soils and riparian zones; used for timber, pulp and windbreaks, with fast growth but short-lived wood compared with many hardwoods.

Saguaro Cactus

Iconic columnar cactus with upward-reaching arms and large nocturnal white flowers near stem tips. Grows in arid Sonoran deserts; stores water in thick flesh, important to desert wildlife and cultural symbol of the American Southwest.

Aloe vera

Succulent perennial with rosette of fleshy serrated leaves containing mucilaginous gel used medicinally and cosmetically. Grows in warm, dry gardens and pots; recognized by thick pale-green leaves and yellow tubular flowers on tall stalks.

Dandelion

Common herbaceous perennial with rosette of deeply lobed leaves and bright yellow composite flower heads that become wind-dispersed seed puffs. Grows in lawns and disturbed sites; edible greens and traditional medicinal uses, often considered a lawn weed.

Clover

Low-growing perennial with trifoliate leaves and round clusters of pea-like flowers, usually white or pink. Grows in lawns, pastures and meadows; fixes nitrogen with root bacteria, valuable forage and beneficial for pollinators.

Pitcher Plant (Tropical)

Vining tropical carnivorous plant with modified leaf pitchers that trap insects using slippery rims and digestive fluid. Grows epiphytically in humid forests; notable for exotic pitcher shapes and ecological role in nutrient-poor soils.

Venus Flytrap

Small carnivorous perennial with hinged trap leaves lined by sensitive trigger hairs; snaps shut to capture insects. Grows in boggy, nutrient-poor soils; famous for rapid movement, studied in plant physiology and popularized in horticulture.

Pea

Climbing or bush annual with pinnate leaves, tendrils and pea pods containing round seeds. Grows in cool-season gardens and fields; important protein crop, used fresh, dried or for garden nitrogen fixation and as a classic genetic model.

Marigold

Showy annual with pungent-scented pinnate leaves and large pompon-like golden orange or yellow flower heads. Grows in sunny garden beds; used for ornament, companion planting to deter pests, and cultural festivals in many regions.

Arabidopsis

Tiny rosette annual used as a model organism in plant biology; small white four-petaled flowers and simple leaves. Grows in disturbed soils and research labs; genome and genetics extensively studied, foundational for plant science discoveries.

Birch

Slender deciduous tree with papery white bark and triangular serrated leaves that flutter in breeze. Grows in mixed woodlands and open sites; valued for timber, pioneer species in disturbed soils and distinctive bark for ID.

Lilac

Deciduous shrub with fragrant clusters of tubular purple, white or pink flowers and opposite leaves. Grows in temperate gardens and hedges; prized for spring fragrance, cold-hardy ornamental use and traditional landscape plantings.

Camellia

Evergreen shrub with glossy dark leaves and large rose-like flowers in winter or spring, colors from white to red. Grows in acidic, moist gardens; flowers are ornamental, and leaves of related Camellia sinensis produce tea.